Alea Iacta Est
by CruelYouth
Summary: Almost three years after the Battle of Hoover Dam and the Legion has been pushed back East. However, they are far from defeated and a certain Courier comes across an interesting circumstance with one, Vulpes Inculta.
1. Chapter 1

******Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fallout franchise or characters, except for my courier :) This work of fanfiction is intended to be transformational commentary on the original and purely for enjoyment. No profit is being made from this work.**

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**A/N:** I actually got some new ideas and wanted to change some things in my story, so there will be quite a few differences.

Please let me know what you think! And any ideas or suggestions, or even complaints, are _always_ welcome!

And **reviews** of course! Om nom nom reviews ^^

**[Trigger Warning: Reference to torture, containment/entrapment]**

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**Prologue_  
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The day was sunny and clear, the towering Lucky 38 Casino and lights of New Vegas stood out in the distance. On certain days, with the desert stretching out before her and the sun bearing down, Alexia missed being more than a simple courier. She had never made much, but just enough to sustain, which was why she returned to the job. Being a courier for the Mojave Wasteland also carried the guarantee of anonymity, something that, after the unexpected events of three years ago, Alexia greatly appreciated.

She had trekked across the Mojave throughout that day, from Primm to Novac, and finally arrived at her destination, Camp McCarran, stopping only for water and food; her pack was stuffed full of banana yucca fruit as evidence. She had easily delivered her package and received payment: a smooth transaction, the way she liked it.

Nightfall was approaching rapidly, and as Alexia was making her way out of the main terminal building, Lieutenant Carrie Boyd summoned her.

She turned around to face the woman who was casually smoking a cigarette. "Hey Courier, we've just had a _major_ victory today: Mayes' trackers caught one of the late Caesar's head honchos," Boyd explained excitedly. "You wanna try your hand at some interrogation? You were so successful last time..." She winked.

Alexia shrugged. "Sure. It's been a while since I've gotten to do something fun _and_ important."

It was a long walk to the newly-renovated interrogation cell, with multiple audits of security checkpoints along the way. Boyd led her up the immobile escalators, through a few rooms and doors, until they arrived at one heavily guarded door. The NCR soldiers recognized them on sight, saluting and stepping aside to allow them to pass, though not without a few wondering glances at Alexia.

Oliver and Mayes sat in the large, square room with concrete walls and two-way glass. For a man who had not long ago taken down a major threat to the NCR's regime, Oliver looked mighty cross. Agent Liu merely stood; her face a study of polite non-expression, her uniform neatly pressed and lying impeccably straight without a single wrinkle in sight. However, they were not alone.

Moving closer to the glass, Alexia could see a Legionary wearing black goggles, hands bound by chains behind his back, in the single chair of the interrogation cell; a bullet lodged deeply in his upper-arm and bright red blood staining his uniform. He stared straightforward, almost statuesque. But then she froze. She could never mistake that profile: unreadable and calculating like a predatory wolf.

_Vulpes Inculta._

He mumbled something angrily to himself, clearly in pain, but the sound did not penetrate the insulated barrier. Alexia wondered why they didn't at least treat his severe wound; she was positive the NCR's protocol for war criminals required necessary medical assistance.

"He won't talk," Oliver growled angrily. "And this might just be another elaborate setup of his. Inculta's a crafty bastard, and he came too willingly for my liking." The General looked grim. "If he's plotting with Caesar Aurelius, we've got a huge disadvantage."

The Agent sighed heavily, and began massaging her forehead.

"We could pump him full of chems," Boyd said, blowing out a puff of smoke. "But then we can't beat him since he'd hemorrhage all over the new floor tiles."

Agent Liu whistled lowly through her lips. "Hsu would have our asses for that."

"Bastard's lost a ton of blood already, so he should be easy to get information out of," Mayes spoke up. "And we've been given orders to use 'enhanced methods' of interrogation—"

"So, torture?" Alexia questioned, recoiling just at the thought. "Is that why he's not receiving any medical treatment?"

"Yep," Boyd replied unfazed. She remembered how eager Boyd was to use torture on Legionaries a few years ago. Alexia admired the woman's strength, but disagreed with her on many related issues. "Maybe a little straight razor will get him talking, since nothing else has so far."

For a moment, Alexia considered leaving him to be tortured. After all, he would likely do the same to her; he was Legion. But she preferred to think herself better than that; better than them. Her stomach twisted at the thought of what the NCR might do to him, and she knew her conscience would be eating her alive later if she just walked away.

"Let me talk to him."

With a frustrated curse and exasperated huff, Alexia made her way into the cell. She immediately took note of the surveillance cameras placed hidden in the two corners; realizing what the NCR was using all that tax money for. Vulpes remained quiet as he heard someone entering the room. Once Alexia stood in front of him, he looked up; his icy blue eyes behind those black lenses darting open and meeting with hers.

Alexia's already pale skin grew paler. The urge to run out of the base and far away was suddenly overwhelming.

Quite a bit had changed since she and Boone had taken out Caesar and his legate, Lanius. After the Battle, Inculta had kept reasonably obscured from the press. In fact, all that had really been publicized of the man was his "_mysterious vacancy at Hoover Dam_" as the NCR newspapers and gossip columns had called it.

The Frumentarius always had an uncanny habit of finding her wherever she went in the Mojave, appearing when she least expected it. He had never harmed her though; many times, treating her with utmost respect whenever they crossed paths. He had even gone out of his way to warn her about the legate when she'd been manipulating Caesar and the Legion to believe she was an ally.

Alexia forced herself to stand straighter, lessen the shaking in her hands and set her mouth in a thin determined line.

"I've no intentions of harming you," she informed, holding up her hands to show no weapons, though a pistol was attached to her upper thigh. "Honest."

Finally recognizing her in the dim light, Vulpes inclined his head. "Ah, Courier, been a little while." He paused briefly to flex his neck and blink a few times, struggling for focus. "I suspected they might send you in."

"Why do you say that?"

"You drew an impressive amount of information from Silus and deceived even the Great Caesar," Vulpes said, leaning forward so that the dark circles under his eyes became even more pronounced beneath the goggles**.** "The NCR is aware of your gift in speech."

Alexia swallowed tightly now that his attention was focused on her. He was very beautiful with his frosty blond hair and refined facial features, though at the present time, his usual ivory skin was the sickly shade of clotted cream. _What the hell?_ She shook those irrational thoughts aside. "They plan to torture you," she deadpanned.

He clenched his fists. "Of course they would..."

She began fiddling with her arm band nervously. "Are you plotting with the new Caesar?" asked Alexia.

"No, no," Inculta said dismissively, as though it should have been obvious. "Their lack of information on me is really quite amusing."

"Oh."

"So," he drawled, sounding more like his usual, frightening self by the minute. "Am I to be used as blackmail? Propaganda? Because I'm afraid parading the news of my capture around the Mojave like a warm light to all will only serve to further strengthen Caesar Aurelius' legitimacy."

"Err, no," Alexia replied with furrowed brows. "Sorry to disappoint you."

Vulpes shifted his weight slightly and winced. After a moment of silence he took a deep constricted breath, looking up with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What are your intentions, then?"

"Well," she sighed, and began to circle him, settling her hip against the table at Inculta's side, taking note of the knives and tools on top, and placing a hand over the hidden pistol under her raider armor. "I guess I'm here to help you."

He turned his head and scrutinized her closely through half-lidded eyes. "That is... most surprising," he replied. "Why would you be willing to do such a thing?"

Alexia shrugged and folded her arms across her chest. "Maybe I've just got a conscience after all."

"You are not a very good liar," Inculta said after an uncomfortable silence. "What is your play?"

"_The information you're seeking is classified_," Alexia said, in a devastatingly good impression of the NCR's automated response system. "_Thank you for your interest_."

He chuckled lowly, that same derisive laugh she remembered from the first time they had met, "A deal with the devil." He stared at her then, an odd expression on his face – Alexia thought it was a mixture of annoyance, amusement, and perhaps a small measure of respect.

"But look, before I do, I'm warning you: if you try and attack me, I will hand your ass right back over to the NCR to torture you all they want."

Vulpes inclined his head in assent. "I wish no harm upon you as you pose no imminent threat to me." _Ouch_, she thought. "I give you my word."

"The word of a Frumentarius means nothing," she arched a blond eyebrow, though his unyielding stare was most intimidating. "This is me following my moral compass; nothing more." Alexia cautiously took a few small steps forward. The bullet stuck in Vulpes' arm was a small .32 caliber. It had torn through skin and muscle, but did not reach bone. After quick inspection, she injected him with a Med-X, and then followed with a stimpak.

"That will take the pain away long enough for you to make your escape, and stimpaks speed up the healing process," she explained, even though he was clearly aghast by her use of chems on him. "Sorry, but chems are the only way you're getting out of here."

He nodded in understanding then his expression morphed. "To devote oneself to an ideal is to become something else entirely. It often means provoking the wrath of those whom you once placed your loyalties. A Frumentarius knows this well. Do you?" He inquired, smooth voice almost an inquisitive purr.

"My relationship with the NCR has always been complicated," she said honestly, though unable to shake the feeling that he was analyzing her. "I'm sure they have more important things to worry about than me."

"That is doubtful," Vulpes replied, gauging her expression. "The moment I am out of this chair, they're going to know _exactly_ who released their prisoner."

Alexia bit her lip, contemplating. "Then make it look like you escaped." She dug around in her pack for a minute, and pulled out a Stealth Boy and bobby pin (carefully concealing both). She then pretended to intimidatingly circle Inculta again, leaning over at just the right angle to block the surveillance cameras view and slipped him the items. Finally, she returned to stand in front of him with a hardened expression, muttering, "It'll make you invisible for a short time."

"Well," Vulpes said at last, not oblivious to the tension in the room, "I believe I am now indebted to you."

The Courier stared agape for a moment. "What d'you mean by that?"

"I live by a code of honor, unlike the dissolute," he explained, a curious gleam in his eye. "You saved my life. I am now in your debt, so you can be comforted with the fact that I will not kill you."

"Alright." He was not lying, and she could see that he was waiting for the right moment to let the now unlatched chains drop.

"Now that that is taken care of, I truly apologize for what I am about to do." In a flash, metal clanked to the floor; Inculta grabbed the dagger on the nearby table and rushed Alexia, trapping her against the wall with a hand firm on her shoulder. "Vale... amica," he whispered against the shell of her ear, and shoved the blade through her side.

Darkness overcame her.

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**A/N: Not much that I really changed in this chapter, but the subsequent ones are going to be sorta different :) Thanks for reading!  
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**-**In my FNV game, I have it heavily modded (lol) and I use FOOK which makes Vulpes Inculta like 20x prettier with silvery blond hair (that isn't shaved ew) as he was supposed to look. I also have this high-rez eyes mod that gives him really freaking realistic looking pale blue eyes... I will take pictures of him and my courier character soon and put 'em on my profile! To give a good visual, you know. **  
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Amica - Female version of amicus, Latin for 'friend'

**Hope you enjoyed this. There is more to come soon!**

**Remember to review please! Keeps up my motivation to write more ;)  
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	2. Chapter 2

******Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fallout franchise or characters, except for my courier :) This work of fanfiction is intended to be transformational commentary on the original and purely for enjoyment. No profit is being made from this work.**

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**A/N:** Yay, new chapter! Tell me what you think by reviewing please! I welcome any comments or criticism. :3

**[Warning: Some Violence]**

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_She's a tough-looking woman, who aims for the crotch_ _- Powder Gangers on Cass_

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**_Nipton, California _**

**_September 16, 2281_**

_Smoke rose high._

_The scent of burning rubber and death permeated the air with a sickening odor. In certain breezes, the faintest whiff of charring flesh filled his nostrils._

_Vulpes Inculta's Frumentarii men were off infiltrating the profligate units, tracking their movements. Instead, he'd been lent recruit and veteran Legionaries for the task and they had proven themselves nearly useless. Before the Nipton operation had commenced, Vulpes had caught some of them acting out carnal assaults on a few of the townswomen as they prepared, in direct defiance of his policies. Those men would be severely punished upon their return to the Fort… And others made to watch. Vulpes Inculta had strictly forbidden his Frumentarii from engaging in such savage, depraved acts on the field._

_"Imperator?"_

_His second-in-command, Gabban, was gazing out the window in Nipton Town Hall, watching three recruit men throw a severed convict limb to one of their mongrels for entertainment. "Have they no principle?" Vulpes asked rhetorically, shaking his head. "They are not fit to be Frumentarii; only fit to herd Brahmin." _

_He frowned then, recalling an earlier dispute he'd had with the legate. Lanius did not respect him nor his talents; often mocking Vulpes' smaller stature for a high-ranking Legionary and claiming that the work of Frumentarii was not that of a 'true' soldier. But Vulpes had never expected the brute to understand the subtle art of tactical reconnaissance. _

_They exited Town Hall and marched down the stone steps._ _His men stood by, each adorned with armor both lightweight and richly detailed. It befitted their style of combat as well as their station._

_Gabban emitted a pleased sigh. "The Profligates will surely tremble in the face of the Legion."_

_"Indeed."_

_It was fairly quiet now; most of the screams and whimpers having given into silence. The crackling of flames was all that lingered._

_"So much bloodshed could have been avoided," he vaguely pondered to himself more than Gabban._

_Despite the flaws, he was proud of this macabre spectacle of justice…this warning to all who would oppose the Legion. The lottery had been a perfectly ironic concept: Caesar would surely be pleased with his work. Earlier, Vulpes had observed in repugnance Steyn's eyes light up with greed at the mention of his fabricated reward, and knew the punishment would fit the sins. Though he'd recognized that penalizing the townspeople for the debauchery of their mayor was unfair, thus Fox had decided that if someone, _anyone_, managed to show some semblance of civility, of dignity, he would spare them. _

_But not one even attempted to resist, even as loved ones were dragged away. They proved themselves cowards. It made Vulpes sick. _

_The winner of his 'lottery' was leaving town, ecstatic, and uncaring that he'd just witnessed the brutal deaths of his comrades. Watching as he left, running and punching the air in some sort of victory gesture, Vulpes and his men conducted one last sweep of the Town Hall and its surrounding area to ensure that they had not missed anything. It seemed they too were ready to leave. Luckily the Swanick man was an imbecile; the sort who would vomit the contents of his mind to anyone who would stand still long enough to listen. _

_Gunfire suddenly drew his attention. _

_A young man with dark hair had shouted at someone, and then crumpled to the ground. From nowhere, a young woman with feathery blond hair came into view and stood, looking down at his body with a pained expression on her face; as though she had not wanted to kill him. After a short pause, she dropped to search his pockets, coming up with, what appeared to be, a bottle cap necklace and some ammo. _

_The Frumentarius observed the slow, dawning horror in her eyes as they gazed around. She began walking towards them while taking in the rows of crosses. Her boldness was admirable: A few times, she stopped and attempted to remove the dying men from their fate, undeterred that eyes followed her, but she had eventually given up as they were already near death. _

_He figured that her appearance here could prove useful. He needed someone besides that idiot Swanick to spread word of what the Legion had accomplished. _

_Vulpes began to approach the woman; however, once she spotted him, began to steadily back up, preparing to scurry away. "Don't worry," he proclaimed, offering a benevolent tilt of his head in the hopes of calming her, "I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It's useful that you happened by."_

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_Men in Red came to his village one night. Little Fox huddled against his mother, silently praying to the wolf spirits to protect his people from these strange warriors. _

_Little Fox, scrawny and wide eyed, trembled as the Men in Red forced their way into their hut. All crimson tunics and dark promises. His mother screamed to leave them alone, to not hurt them, but the men ignored her pleas. One of them drew a large blade, and Little Fox's mother threw herself in front of him in an effort to protect her son. The blade pierced her chest and his mother moved no more. _

_Little Fox fled, hot tears streaming down his face, amidst the carnage of his tribe when the ardor of revenge had dissolved into fear. There was nothing left but to run, and he did not make it far. So he hid in the small expanse of forest nearby and remained quiet while the Men in Red burnt homes and piled bodies. One of their foul beasts went down, but their master was wily — he barked an order in a strange language and the canine company disbanded in little units of twos and threes, quickly evaporating into the woods._

_The sun was rising in the East when they discovered the weeping child. A terrifying warrior with red plume in helm and silver armor that flashed in the new dawning light was looking down at him. Little Fox suspected this was the leader, though he was not female. He had never seen a _male_ leader; only females were the Chosen Ones._

_Later, Little Fox shrunk in the corner of a foreign red tent with the golden crest of a bull, hugging his knees, staring frightened at the bald man who was bent down, trying to see if he could get the boy to accept some bread and meat. Betrayed by his stomach, he greedily ate the bread, the meat, and drank clean water. Lying on a thick, warm cot that night, Little Fox grieved for his slain kin._

_As the days went by, Little Fox learned that the Men in Red were decreed by the gods for greatness; to lead mankind away from the sins of the past. The leader, Lord Caesar, as they called him, conqueror of many, sat on his throne and gently told Little Fox not to be afraid, that the gods favored him worthy. Caesar was the Son of Mars, the God of War. He ensured his mother's death hadn't been in vain. Little Fox and the remnants of his tribe were brought out from the darkness of ignorance and savagery by the light of the gods, the torch of Mars that demanded recognition in a world man had destroyed with corruption and depravity. So the Legion consumed tribes into itself, lifting them up from weakness, expanding and homogenizing under a credo of honor and glory. _

_Bathing all in crimson._

_And Fox would not be sullied by his tribal name any longer. Because of his keen mind and sharpened wit, Lord Caesar had him designated 'Vulpes Inculta' - the untamed fox. And he knew what his purpose in life was. _

_Vulpes Inculta was judgment embodied; the gavel of Mars determining the punishment for the profligates' sins as his Lord required._

_He paused a moment in his pace, ripper secured to his back, the black lenses shielding his eyes from the bright, desert sun. _

_But sometimes... in the obscure recesses of his mind… he still found himself questioning…_

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"You can't be serious," Boone's angry voice caused her to cringe as it echoed throughout the old Mormon Fort infirmary. Alexia refused to meet his gaze, pangs of guilt flooding through her chest. "You're lucky you're not hanging from a cross right now!"

There was a drip hung on the left side of her, intravenously administering a steady dose of medicine through her arm; she anxiously fiddled with the IV line connected.

After Vulpes Inculta had stabbed her, life had been a series of quick snippets of consciousness. Alexia had been transported to the Followers' base, seeing as she was close friends with two of their lead doctors. Arcade had stitched and bandaged the wound, and sedated her for a few hours. Once she came to, Alexia gave her troubled companions a quick rundown on what had happened; making sure to emphasize the arranged _torture_ part. Unfortunately, Boone's reaction was to be expected, knowing how much he utterly loathed the Legion.

"What's with the yelling?" Cass poked her head out from the next room; her red hair pulled back into a low ponytail, and began walking to Alexia's bedside. "Is there—?"

"I'm questioning the state of Alexia's _sanity_," Boone snarled, his battered sniper beret slightly pulled down over his eyes. "Who in their right mind thinks cutting lose one of the remaining Legion bastards is a good idea?"

Alexia shook her head, "I'm perfectly sane, Boone. I promise."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better about this?"

Leaning back into the hospital bed, she closed her eyes, feeling like a complete fool. _I can't believe I did that_. She had certainly acted like one; trusting the Legion's master spy, no less. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

Nuka Cola in hand, Arcade watched her with pity. "I understand you have a bit of a savior complex, Alexia," he began after a very long pause, "but didn't you consider for, oh I don't know, a _moment_ the ramifications your actions have likely caused?"

"Turn the knife a little more, Arcade," she snapped angrily. "I didn't quite feel that."

He dismissed her remark, removed his glasses and wiped them on his lab coat. "If your track record is anything to go by, it's that you're a magnet for trouble."

"That," Alexia pointed defensively, "is _so_ not true."

Cass snickered. "Need I remind you of that time you got dragged into some fucking tribal war in Utah by the _phantom of the Legion_? I mean, really... Just quit while you're ahead, babe."

The Burned Man had proved a massive letdown after the way Legionaries spoke of him; not to mention the fact that the guy's mere _name_ had been made taboo. He turned out to be a pleasant man… but ultimately, Joshua Graham was more concerned with keeping his tribe unharmed as opposed to going after the men who set him on fire and tossed him into the Grand Canyon. As strange as it was, she supposed he truly was on a path to redemption.

"Okay, the Burned Man is the farthest thing from dangerous these days," she said, grimacing slightly from pain. "The guy's a religious freak, for fuck's sake!"

"And don't forget about the time you landed yourself in the Big Empty," Arcade added.

"Yeah, but that was—"

"And the time you ended up facing five Radscorpions in that canyon pit you fell down—"

"But that—"

"And when you—"

"ALL RIGHT, I get it!" Alexia shouted, throwing her hands up in surrender, causing the flimsy bedframe to tremble.

"And now... you end up helping a _war criminal_ escape incarceration... who was it?" Arcade mused, steering himself toward the large desk of Julie's, and pointlessly plucking open the drawers. "Some lower echelon Legionary?"

"Not exactly," she mumbled quietly, turning her head to gaze out at the starry, night sky of Nevada.

Cass, Arcade, and Boone exchanged looks of apprehension.

"_Who was it?_" Boone demanded, his jaw clenched so tightly that it came out as a growl.

Alexia nervously ran her fingers through her hair and answered, "Dog Head."

It was like watching a train crash. Arcade immediately spat out the gulp of soda he'd taken, Cass froze and dropped the empty whiskey bottle she was holding, and Boone, in his outrage, heatedly punched the wall, all but climbing onto a chair screaming and pointing, causing Alexia to flinch.

"B-but it paid off," she stammered in a high-pitch voice, "He promised he wouldn't _kill_ me because I saved his life—"

"OF COURSE HE TOLD YOU THAT!"

Arcade set his Cola down and muttered, "I need alcohol for this." She sighed as he walked to the cupboards, added a generous slug of scotch to his glass and threw the bottle to Cass who caught it and began chugging. "So you saved Vulpes Inculta."

Alexia moaned and buried her face in her hands. "Yes."

Boone slowly scanned the surroundings in an obvious attempt to stay reposed, his stormy eyes settling on a set of shelves practically buckling under the weight of various books.

Cass sat down in the ruined chair with her new drink and gave her friend a sympathetic look. "Lexi, we all know you've got a big heart. You _did_ help those freaky religious ghouls rocket off to their "Far Beyond", after all." She paused. "I mean, I'm sure he would've escaped eventually. So you thought, what, why wait?"

"Ha-ha," Alexia rolled her eyes. "I _thought_ not only would I be clearing _my_ conscience, but if I got him out, he might not reduce McCarran headquarters to fiery, burning wreckage." She took the cup of water Boone held out for her. "And I'd like to point out in my defense that I was right. Inculta _didn't_ attack them."

"No, just you."

She scowled, and took a satisfying gulp of water.

"But dude, I'd have capped him right there. You have any idea how high the bounty is on Dog Head?" Cass was smirking and shaking her head in disbelief. "You'd never have to work another day as a courier."

"Well, shit."

Boone chuckled, but quickly grew serious as usual. "You need to watch yourself around the NCR now."

"Why? They just think Dog Head pulled a fast one on them," said Alexia, and tried to push her limp body into a semi-upright position. A taut bloom of pain in her abdomen warned her against it. "Ow."

Arcade's eyes darkened. "_About that..._" he muttered, and began pacing back and forth.

Alexia groaned, recognizing that look. "What is it?"

He exhaled. "They're highly suspicious. It looks like you both staged everything," Arcade pointed out. "Inculta didn't try to kill you."

"He _stabbed_ me."

"The blade in your side barely pierced more than two inches of flesh," Arcade continued, pushing his glasses up his nose. "He managed to avoid _every_ vital organ down to a surgical precision. You didn't even lose enough blood to require a transfusion."

Boone scoffed, "Coincidence."

"I would buy that, if this was the work of some grunt Legionary," he said, and polished off his drink. "But now knowing it was _Vulpes Inculta..._" he shook his head "He _never_ misses his target."

At this, both Cass and Boone regarded the Follower doctor in a mixture of intrigue and disbelief.

"Shrewd bastard," Arcade pondered meaningfully. His eyes were vibrant as he smiled. "I can think of one reason why he might have wounded the woman who risked her life and disobeyed her own allies to set him free."

Alexia could not help but contemplate his words. Arcade had raised an important question, and she was worried the doctor had found an answer she never thought of before. Had Vulpes Inculta decided to stick a dagger in her, not because he was a traitorous, sadistic little prick, but because he hadn't wanted Alexia implicated in the escape?

It made a bizarre kind of sense. After all, who would suspect the chick bleeding out on the floor of helping a psycho get loose?

"So, they're on to me," Alexia confirmed sadly. "I hid it well though and used a diversion…" she tried to convince herself more than her companions, "They couldn't have seen that…"

The sniper laughed coldly. "Oh, trust me. They saw."

The seemingly endless tension was broken when Cass burst out laughing suddenly. "...'When you steal NCR equipment, tools and property, _YOU_ are his _BITCH_'!"

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Sheltered by a rocky overhang, Vulpes Inculta cast an eye for any sort of traps he might recognize. Once the area was clear, he crouched down at one of his old caches overlooking the hillside. He had kept several drop sites carefully hidden throughout the Mojave: changes of armor, weaponry, basic tools, and dried rations tightly sealed as not to stale. He shed the red leather, folded it neatly, and placed it into the burlap knapsack that held his traveling possessions; the metal fittings gleamed. The wolf's fur waited.

He zipped into his suit and adjusted the black bowtie of the costume of his profligate persona: Vince Fox. He dusted off some particles of lint from the hat before placing it on his head.

The Frumentarius had been trained extensively to reach the point he was at. Trained for any scenario, in any condition. Vulpes could spin tales on Mr. Fox's childhood growing up on a small farm in Redmond, Utah and how he despised his father for leaving after his younger sister was born. Mother worked so hard to provide for them. It meant nothing to him; they were mere fables to be used for gain.

He spent the rest of the day trailing a group of NCR troopers, collecting information on the Republic's current objectives. As soon as the group was preparing to move on, he bolted away, finding a shaded and undisturbed spot to set up camp for the night a safe distance back.

That night Vulpes dreamt of fire and panic. Shrieking tribals, a woman with wild eyes that resembled his own, and the Burned Man.

**0000**

He gazed out binoculars across Camp Forlorn Hope from a few miles away. Even in the early gloom of a cloud-covered day, he could see the moving bodies of many troopers, the area already too small for their bursting numbers. Once an opportunity opened itself, Vulpes sprang, ambushing a lone NCR recruit with his silenced 9mm.

He tugged the face mask a little tighter. The uniform fit him well enough and the body was easily hid down the slope of the canyon. Now incognito, Vulpes returned to the camp to speak with some of the officers and attempt to pry information out of one or two. But instead, he noticed two young men, reckless and full of bravado, enter the barracks speaking loudly. He smiled cruelly and followed them inside.

The building was crowded; many soldiers were napping, standing around, or simply chatting amongst themselves. Confident with his disguise, Vulpes sauntered down the hallway and crouched into the furthest, unoccupied bedroom, listening through the shallow walls to the various conversations taking place. Just as he was about to depart back for the corridor, Fox heard a male voice that was vaguely familiar to him. He remained very still, pressing his ear against the cool surface of the wall to eavesdrop closely on the pair in the adjacent room.

It was Private Sextus.

"Hey, naughty boy, aren't you still on shift?"

Vulpes grimaced as this was followed by a high-pitched giggle and an unmistakable wet, sucking sound. _Filthy profligate whores_, he thought to himself, as he peeked around the corner only to witness a woman who was wrapped around Private Sextus like a giant squid. He doubted there would be much left of the Private's face once she was finished with him, as she seemed to be in the process of sucking it off.

It was enough to make Vulpes' stomach turn.

He crossed to the other end, trying to erase the repulsive image from his mind, but then hesitated, noticing the same two recruits he'd witnessed earlier, making their way into the snack room. The Fox grinned under his mask; it was easier than expected. Vulpes had adopted a common pose; not too stiff, not too informal, wishing to communicate amity and expertise. The young men, with great excitement, recounted to the unknown Legionary about their latest assignment. Evidently, they were a part of a high profile capture; the first mission of such importance they had ever been requested to join, however insignificant their roles in it were.

A young woman entered then, and from the duo's casual reactions, Vulpes could tell they were acquaintances.

"Hey," she tentatively greeted Vulpes, and then turned to her comrades. "Did the Private tell you?"

"Yeah," the one called Terrence said happily.

The woman seemed disappointed by the news. She frowned and slumped down into the nearest chair. "I don't believe she's a traitor," she ruminated. "It _had_ to be a misunderstanding_._ It had to be."

Vulpes excused himself from their conversation. Listening in curiously, the Frumentarius was not surprised to find he featured heavily in their discussion. He smirked darkly, hearing the NCR whisper his name with fear in their voices once more.

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* * *

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The following day, Vulpes managed to slip out of the camp undetected. He could not seem to push thoughts of the pixie-looking Courier out of his mind. An unfamiliar feeling was gnawing away at him; possibly due to the intelligence he had just collected, but was loathe to admit it. With a roar of frustration, he unraveled his bedroll and tried to find sleep.

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* * *

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**A/N:** **So yeah, hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter, Vulpes and Alexia will be meeting up again!  
**


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